TRENTON — Representatives from the 16th legislative district say their constituents are being ignored by Jersey Central Power & Light because their ratepayers are being left out from the utility's upcoming public hearings about rate increases.

JCP&L is proposing a 4.5 percent rate hike that will increase the average bill by more than $50 per year, according to joint press release from Sen. Christopher "Kip" Bateman, Assemblyman Jack M. Ciattarelli and Assemblywoman Donna M. Simon, all Republicans.

While state law requires utilities to hold public hearings before increasing rates — and the utility has scheduled six hearings in three locations in Monmouth, Morris and Ocean counties in April — the legislators say those locations are inconvenient to their constituents.

“It is cowardly and wrong to try to raise utility rates without confronting residents in each district,” Bateman said in a statement. “District 16 ratepayers have as much right as anyone to have a voice in this concerning process.”

There are nearly 40,000 JCP&L customers in District 16, which includes Hunterdon, Somerset, Mercer and Middlesex counties.

“The concerns of ratepayers in District 16 counties are equally as important as the concerns of residents in other counties,” Ciattarelli said in a statement.

CONNECT WITH US

“Everyone who will be affected by this proposed rate increase should have an equally convenient opportunity to put their comments and concerns on the record. After everything our residents have been through, and in the name of transparency and doing the right thing for the customer, we call on JCP&L to add locations that are convenient for residents of our legislative district.”

After enduring more than a dozen widespread outages over the last two years, Simon said it's "disappointing" to see her constituents ignored.

“Certainly, if JCP&L expects our constituents to pay higher bills, they should at the very least allow their ratepayers in Somerset and Hunterdon counties the opportunity to ask questions and object to the increase in a public forum," she said.

When asked about the locations for the public hearings, JCP&L spokesman Ron Morano said Friday that he had no comment, other than to say JCP&L does not set the hearings.

Greg Reinert, spokesman for the state's Board of Public Utilities, said Friday afternoon that the administrative law judge chooses the date, time and location for the public hearings.

Under an order from the Hon. Richard McGill, the base rate hearings will be scheduled for: